In a bakery the dough is generally prepared in large receptacles in which it is mixed, agitated and kneaded. For further bakery operations, it is necessary to remove predetermined-size portions of the dough, these portions being relatively small compared to the mass which is prepared.
The portioning of the dough has been done generally by hand heretofore, each portion being removed from the dough receptacle. Of course, such operations are only suitable in small bakeries or when small numbers of baked articles are to be prepared.
In large-scale baking operations, the dough is usually introduced, from the receptacle in which it is prepared, into a funnel-shaped container at the lower end of which is provided a dosing, metering or portioning device with the aid of which the viscous mass is forced portion-wise from the container.
These conventional devices have the disadvantage that the entire mixing and kneading container must be lifted or otherwise handled to dump the dough or other viscous material into the funnel feeding the portioning device. The portioning operation, moreover, whereby the dough is displaced under pressure through a small outlet has the effect of disturbing the dough characteristics.
For example, when the dough is provided with an expanding agent causing growth in size of the material, e.g. yeast, sour dough or dough containing bicarbonate, the mass is constantly increasing in size and developing. The conventional systems cannot handle such doughs effectively.